The points of issue
Full number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' present; navy cloth-backed boards with gilt spine; navy dust jacket printed in gold and red, carrying the printed price and '0478' on the rear panel.
Is this the true first?
The US E.P. Dutton edition (Henry Robbins, editor) is the true first; the UK Gollancz edition (1978) follows. This was Irving's breakthrough and is scarce in fine first-state jacket.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-of-the-Month Club editions are smaller, lack the number line, are blind-stamped on the rear board, and their jackets carry no printed price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The World According to Garp a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Full number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' present; navy cloth-backed boards with gilt spine; navy dust jacket printed in gold and red, carrying the printed price and '0478' on the rear panel.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The US E.P. Dutton edition (Henry Robbins, editor) is the true first; the UK Gollancz edition (1978) follows. This was Irving's breakthrough and is scarce in fine first-state jacket.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-of-the-Month Club editions are smaller, lack the number line, are blind-stamped on the rear board, and their jackets carry no printed price.
I have a first edition of The World According to Garp — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.